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Henning accused 'falling asleep'

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 3:37 PM

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Ambrose Monye (left) and Andre Gouws in the High Court in Pretoria. Sapa

The trial of two men accused of killing Pretoria woman Chanelle Henning was stood down in the High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday.

One of the accused, Andre Gouws, complained about being unable to concentrate on the trial because of a lack of sleep and food.

Daan Mostert, for Gouws, said his client was not able to keep up with making notes and was falling asleep during proceedings.

"He is not capable to prepare."

Mostert asked the court to make an order allowing his client to stay in a single cell.

Acting Judge Johan Kruger said the defence teams and prosecution should discuss the problem with the Department of Correctional Services and report back to him.

On Tuesday, former police officer Willem Pieterse, who is serving a jail term for his role in the murder, told the court that Ambrose Monye should tell the truth about Henning's murder.

Monye, a former Nigerian Olympic athlete, and Gouws are accused of murder, conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to procure an illegal firearm and ammunition, possession of an illegal firearm and illegal possession of ammunition. They have pleaded not guilty.

Pieterse and fellow police officer Gerhardus du Plessis, who is also doing time for the murder, claimed Monye hired them to carry out the shooting and promised them R10 000 each.

Both accepted a plea bargain and were convicted in December last year of murder, conspiracy to murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of unlicensed ammunition. Each was sentenced to 18 years behind bars.

Matthew Klein, for Monye, put it to Pieterse that the only jobs his client ever hired him for were petty security jobs.

"Yes, I did jobs for him. [They were] to sell drugs and to kill Chanelle and those were not petty to me," he replied.

He told the court Monye and Gouws met him and Du Plessis on various occasions to arrange Henning's murder. On one of these occasions Gouws warned them that Henning's child should not be harmed.

Two men on a motorbike shot and killed Henning (26) while she was driving her car in Faerie Glen, Pretoria East, on 8 November 2011, shortly after dropping off her child at a creche.

Sapa

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